kmartind

accessories4less wrote:We sell Onkyo products and other top tier brands of receivers and find that a VERY large percentage of bad "HDMI board" problems are actually related to low quality/performance HDMI cables.

Have to be careful there or you might start a flame war between the "Spending any more than 3 cents for an HDMI cable is highway robbery, it's just zeros and ones!" crowd versus the "But premium cables actually are manufactured better and will avoid potential problems" folks.

Bottom line, buy pretty much any cable with the HDMI logo that explicitly states "High Speed."
Preferably get it from a recognizable brand rather than the absolute cheapest generic cable you can find. It doesn't have to be a super premium cable and doesn't have to cost a lot, unless your needs are exceptional (for example a very long run, a high EMI/RFI/humidity/sulfur environment, very frequent plugging/unplugging/flexing, and/or marginal devices on one end or the other) or if you care a lot about aesthetics and theoretically better reliability and are willing to pay an extra premium for it. Some people are, and that's fine, it's their choice.

I have also actually encountered problems caused by damaged, defective, or non-high speed rated cables that cause dropouts, flickering, "sparkles" or no signal at all. So it's always a good idea to try a new cable to eliminate that factor first and verify it's actually a device problem.

krringle

bobosims wrote:Comparing the two models on the Onkyo website (HT-RC560 and the TX-NR626 that others have pointed out is the model from which this one was rebadged), they're effectively identical when you switch between windows showing the same tabs for each model. The only differences are the labelling on the faceplate, the presence of a "three stage inverted Darlington circuit" on the center channel, and a usb port being moved from the front to the back. The woot version also doesn't bear certification for 4 ohm speakers (doesn't mean it won't work fine with them, but it hasn't been put through that certification process at the factory). As an engineer, these differences are only slighltly meaningful to me, whereas they wouldn't be meaningful at all to the average home user. All other specs, features, etc... are identical.

The "list price" shown on this Woot exclusive (How does that work exactly? If this is a woot exclusive, when was it ever offered at list price? Seems like a Truth In Advertising issue to me) matches the listed Mothership price for the TX-NR626. That said, the Woot price comes in a couple hundred bucks cheaper, and the specs indicate that regardless of what model number this thing goes under, it's a pretty decent deal.

As to the customer service issues, well... here's hoping that they're doing more than "taking them very seriously".

My head is spinning reading all of this. I'm not ready to pull the trigger on this but I know how to google (my home theater project has been stalled so .. ) knowing that this is equivelent to TX-NR626, I found the AVSForum for the Owners thread for these receivers. I read thru it and sounds like a happy bunch and no comments about heat that I read in my quick read thru. I might have missed something. No complaints about HDMI either.
http://www.avsforum.com/t/1471097/onkyo-tx-nr727-626-525-official-owners-thread-discussion
Onkyo TX-NR727, 626, 525 "official" owner's thread discussion

Ugh.. first I really wanted Onkyo, then I read all the problems. Then my Home Theater build was put on hold. I then decided Denon was the way to go because I wanted Multi XT for my large multipurpose room. Now I read the reviews on Amazon and AVSFORUM for the TX-NR626, this receivers blood cousin and I don't know. My head is swimming.
Did they fix their problems? Does this Woot exclusive have a large fan like the TX-NR626? Will the next Avengers movie be better then than the last one?
For me I have to wait. For some of you... enjoy your new 'Woot Exclusive' receiver. It may be a great deal.
Good luck Onkyo with the new line!
Way to go Woot in getting an exclusive pre-launch product and the receiver is on the Onkyo site now if nobody posted it yet. It's there.. (Be Seeing You!)

kmartind

krringle wrote:I found the AVSForum for the Owners thread for these receivers. I read thru it and sounds like a happy bunch and no comments about heat that I read in my quick read thru. I might have missed something. No complaints about HDMI either.
...
Did they fix their problems? Does this Woot exclusive have a large fan like the TX-NR626?

It's probably like the various Best Buy or Wal-Mart exclusive models of PCs and appliances; with minor if any real differences.
Nearly all of the HDMI capacitor or BGA problems I've read about were on the models 2-3 generations older than this Woot! model. The current and last-year's models seem to have overwhelmingly positive feedback aside from the early firmware issues that have been corrected by a firmware update for about a year now. I've also had zero problems at all with my TX-NR616 so would have no reservations about recommending that model, or the TX-NR626, or this Woot! model.

mst3kguy

Kbene wrote:I have an Onkyo receiver I bought 5 years ago that stopped working 2 years ago after very occasional (1 or 2 times a month) use. I was told at least $250 to repair. I'm back using my 30 year old Pioneer receiver that never stopped working. I could never buy an Onkyo product again.

i bet if you went back to using the 30 year old onkyo receiver you'd discover it never stopped working, either. onkyo made great stuff! i'm not sure what happened (after reading all the stuff on here), for so long i thought they and denon were topnotch mass-produced receivers...

tool019840

I have a tx-nr809 and it is hands down the best receiver I have ever owned. It is an amazing piece of audio hardware. Whatever issues happened a couple or five years ago, they have obviously been figured out. New Onkyo products are top notch, and I recommend them to everyone. This Woot is an awesome deal, and rest assured, it will be rock solid. I don't recommend focusing on complaints from 5 years ago when making a purchasing decision on these, that would be like never buying another Ford because they built the Probe... :D

accessories4less

kmartind wrote:Have to be careful there or you might start a flame war between the "Spending any more than 3 cents for an HDMI cable is highway robbery, it's just zeros and ones!" crowd versus the "But premium cables actually are manufactured better and will avoid potential problems" folks.

Bottom line, buy pretty much any cable with the HDMI logo that explicitly states "High Speed."
Preferably get it from a recognizable brand rather than the absolute cheapest generic cable you can find. It doesn't have to be a super premium cable and doesn't have to cost a lot, unless your needs are exceptional (for example a very long run, a high EMI/RFI/humidity/sulfur environment, very frequent plugging/unplugging/flexing, and/or marginal devices on one end or the other) or if you care a lot about aesthetics and theoretically better reliability and are willing to pay an extra premium for it. Some people are, and that's fine, it's their choice.

I have also actually encountered problems caused by damaged, defective, or non-high speed rated cables that cause dropouts, flickering, "sparkles" or no signal at all. So it's always a good idea to try a new cable to eliminate that factor first and verify it's actually a device problem.

Never mentioned any brand to buy. My point was clearly that any brand HDMI cable can fail regardless of the price/brand. Buyer are always blaming the electronics without proper verification by testing with a brand new certified HDMI cable.

We are running into buyers that have older HDMI cables that won't carry 1080p/3d/ARC/etc. that need to replace these aging cables to allow current technology to work properly.

If you read all the reviews from one of the most popular HDMI cables sold (Amazon Basics) you will see almost 10% have issues with them working (see all the 1, 2 and 3 star reviews).

Imagine how many buyers blamed the electronics before they finally figured out the cable was bad? My point in general is too many people are not properly testing equipment/cables.

Sardinicus

Imagine how many buyers blamed the electronics before they finally figured out the cable was bad? My point in general is too many people are not properly testing equipment/cables.

It's also worth noting that HDMI port failure issues appear to be somewhat endemic across the consumer industry - if you search the term on Google or AVSforum you will come up with many hits about issues with Samsung, Panasonic, and Sony as well as Onkyo.

Not that this is an excuse for any of them, I think manufacturers should stand behind their stuff, but I am feeling somewhat bad for a company rep who came here to help and walked into a buzz-saw.

bskuared

Just wanted to be the lone person here with a reliable Onkyo receiver. Bought in 2007 and still going strong. Use it as the hub for sound on all electronics in the house. Still chugging away. Hope this doesn't cause it to fail. Knock on wood. Oh it's an Onkyo TX-SR605 7.1 Channel Home Theater Receiver. So there you have it.

jeffandmonica

Based on recent customer feedbacks from such notable and authorized dealers as Amazon, Crutchfield, J & R, Newegg, etc. many of our latest models are NOT experiencing any of the issues you have reported.

Sorry, but my Onkyo receiver just croaked too. Won't output any sound except through the headphone jack. Got about 3-4 years of fairly limited use out of it, probably about once a month on average. Won't be buying again, especially with the feedback seen here. Just too much of a coincidence to not have some fact behind it.

jeffandmonica

tool019840 wrote:I have a tx-nr809 and it is hands down the best receiver I have ever owned. It is an amazing piece of audio hardware. Whatever issues happened a couple or five years ago, they have obviously been figured out. New Onkyo products are top notch, and I recommend them to everyone. This Woot is an awesome deal, and rest assured, it will be rock solid. I don't recommend focusing on complaints from 5 years ago when making a purchasing decision on these, that would be like never buying another Ford because they built the Probe... :D

Spiky

narquespamley wrote:I have a high-end Denon receiver that behaves similarly. Audio from HDMI sources is not sent to zone 2. While this can be overcome by using a secondary audio feed via optical digital or coax digital, to make matters worse the source has to be changed to stereo (vs. Dolby Digital) to be fed through, thus we're always having to go into DVD player settings depending on whether we're watching a movie in zone 1 or zone 2.

May be pretty late to comment, but...

This is finally changing. Higher end models from Denon, Onkyo, Yamaha and others are all finally beginning to offer zone 2 output from a digital input, including HDMI. And I think one even offered backwards control to switch between 2.0 and 5.1 via the HDMI, which should be technically possible.

TAGyurit

Device hdmi's go to External Switch inputs.
External Switch output goes to Onkyo's hdmi#1 input (the only one that currently works).
Onkyo's hdmi output goes to TV.
External Switch switches automatically to the powered Device; no need for its remote! Also, it is powered via hdmi, so there is no wall wart.

tjcallahan

Agree - forget the powered zone 2 since Onkyo receivers only accept an analog input for the second zone. This limitation is hidden away in the specs and documentation. Can't send HDMI output to Zone 2. I bought the TX-NR616 for my home media room and now regret it.

I just bought last year's Denon from Best Buy (for less money) for our beach house and it's fantastic. Zone 1 covers the 5.1 family room and Zone 2 feeds the deck with different (or the same) digital content. Bliss......

Does anyone really believe that Onkyo would want to market a high-end receiver exclusively thru woot! They have to move the bad inventory and landfill space is expensive. )-: Buyer beware-

SkwerlKC wrote:If you are planning to buy this for the second zone feature, be warned that only crappy RCA pin analog sources will be sent out through the second zone. Bummer!

kmartind

I was actually guessing that a lot of people, having seen the TX-NR616, looked at the 626 and had the same thought as I did: "hm, doesn't look like much of an upgrade from the 616 and in some ways perhaps even a downgrade" (for example the 616 is THX). That plus the rumors of issues with some of the 2010-11 or so models may have slowed sales of the 626 resulting in higher parts/units inventories than desired. If so, that doesn't suddenly make it a "bad" receiver, just a little less popular than initially forecasted.

CANNONFODDER0

bookishboy wrote:... Which means effectively that you may have a difficult time deciding whether to output from your source in 480i and use the receiver to upscale, or instead output in a higher resolution from the source.

From someone with frequent "analysis paralysis", call in a lifeline. Get someone else and do an A/B test for each source. It does not have to be "double-blind" as you want to be happy and if the "science" says A but your gut says B... well, you can still go to sleep if your "science" hurts.

CANNONFODDER0

kcmark wrote:Looking at upgrading our pre-HDTV, Denon AVR-3200 receiver to an AV receiver that can handle both component and HDMI.

Will this 'down-convert' HDMI 1080p sources and output them in 1080i over the component output?

We were early HDTV adopters and have a great 54" rear projection Toshiba HDTV that only has component inputs. I currently have a 6x2 component video matrix in a closet which runs our Tivo, HTPC, Blu-ray, WDTV and DVD player to the Toshiba and another HDTV in another room. Unfortunately the video matrix only processes stereo sound.

If I can hook up the Tivo, Blu-ray, and WDTV via HDMI to the receiver and still output video to the Toshiba HDTVs in 1080i, I just might bite. If this won't cut it, anyone have suggestions for other (perhaps earlier) models that would work? Our Denon is rock solid but just couldn't keep up with changes in AV technology.

AfroGT wrote:No AV Receiver will down convert from HDMI to component video. That's a violation of HD copy protection rules.

Sorry.

While it is likely true that no A/V receiver does this, strictly speaking, it is (or was) only a violation when the content is "protected content".

I stepped out of this when I moved and bought a new display, so all the links I have are five or more years old, and this is a touchy subject for some folks.

There are [not many] converters available, but I think I would go with digital distribution and convert at the display.

I know there was a fellow that made conversion cards for the high end 3 tube projectors, and avsforum is a good starting point.

kcmark

CANNONFODDER0 wrote:While it is likely true that no A/V receiver does this, strictly speaking, it is (or was) only a violation when the content is "protected content".

I stepped out of this when I moved and bought a new display, so all the links I have are five or more years old, and this is a touchy subject for some folks.

There are [not many] converters available, but I think I would go with digital distribution and convert at the display.

I know there was a fellow that made conversion cards for the high end 3 tube projectors, and avsforum is a good starting point.

Good luck!

Thanks for the reply. I'm familiar with the HDFury (original, 2 and 3) and the issues involved with breaking HDCP. Technically and legally, downconverting to a 1080i signal is not in violation of HDCP (closing the analog hole was intended to stop playback of 1080p content via component video) however content providers have used enough leverage to get most manufacturers to technically limit their products to only output up to 480p via component output. It's all a stupid attempt at content protection at the expense of those folks who were the earliest to back HD content providers (pre-HDMI). Thanks for your comments nonetheless.

subslug

That Audesey setup routine is neat, I used it on my older Onkyo receiver and never really had to touch a setting afterwards, same with this new model. On the same speakers this newer unit sounds a lot better, even wider than the older unit. All the extra online features are really nice. It's nice to be able to access music stored on my server.
I have noticed an odd pop sound when switching TV channels coming from the center speaker, sometimes it occurs when a TV channel switches from a Dolby broadcast over to a lower def, 2 channel audio format. Not sure if that's an issue or something I need to set differently.

cudame

One poster pointed out the Onkyo rep ran into a buzz-saw of complaints. While I agree, the rep increased the damage by trying to defer most answers to a consumer help phone number and not addressing what seemed to be a systemic problem. Asking for proof of sales receipt is also a big mistake as it implies if you can't prove your purchase, your problem does not exist or warrant a response. With that said, my girlfriend purchased a refurbished Onkyo a year ago(on my recommendation) which has performed very well as expected. It is used almost on a daily basis. There is a fairly large learning curve but the results and performance are very favorable to recommend the product. My experience tells me most electronics which are going to fail, are going to fail early in their useful life and not a year later.

guilleman

pdalton

I just wanted to throw into this discussion my experience with ONKYO receivers.

I own an Onkyo TX-SV919THX Receiver: Old enough that it predates "formal" Dolby Surround and required a separate "AC-3" processing unit to accomplish its excellent 5.1 surround sound (I bought it new in 1996 or maybe 1997). It still works great (my adult son now uses it for his surround setup).

I also own a much newer Onkyo HT-RC360 Receiver, which also has performed fabulously since I bought it a couple of years ago and use it in my own 7.2 surround setup with my Klipsch Reference Series speakers.

I have found Onkyo to be a great company with great products. I have called them from time to time with questions and always have received courteous and thorough attention.

I have no relationship to Onkyo other than as a very satisfied customer.

tdemeza

I purchased one of the HT-RC560 units on Woot. It seems like it could be a good unit... That being said. I have applied and verified the latest firmware without issue, and my unit now randomly displays the Speaker Setup screen. Everything is working fine for an hour or more then all of a sudden Speaker Setup (calibration) comes on the screen and you can go through it again (if it will work) mine constantly says the room is too noisy... And there is no noise that I can hear except for the calibration tones. But it will not save, and wont go away... Then after a few power cycles and pushing other input sources, main menu etc. It will go away and you can start using the receiver again... Does anyone have any thoughts on this. It's driving me nuts. I wonder if I just have a defective unit... If so, what is the next step I should take? Finally, this is at a vacation home and I am not there on the weekdays.. So is there anyone that can be contacted after hours? Thanks in advance.

ThunderThighs

tdemeza wrote:I purchased one of the HT-RC560 units on Woot. It seems like it could be a good unit... That being said. I have applied and verified the latest firmware without issue, and my unit now randomly displays the Speaker Setup screen. Everything is working fine for an hour or more then all of a sudden Speaker Setup (calibration) comes on the screen and you can go through it again (if it will work) mine constantly says the room is too noisy... And there is no noise that I can hear except for the calibration tones. But it will not save, and wont go away... Then after a few power cycles and pushing other input sources, main menu etc. It will go away and you can start using the receiver again... Does anyone have any thoughts on this. It's driving me nuts. I wonder if I just have a defective unit... If so, what is the next step I should take? Finally, this is at a vacation home and I am not there on the weekdays.. So is there anyone that can be contacted after hours? Thanks in advance.

Sorry you're having problems with the message. You can call them during regular hour to get some ideas on how to problem solve the issue.

That said, I'd check all connections, look for bad wires, and make sure you're following the instructions per the manual. I messed mine up with the latter. Heh.

RobLI57

Your company not only makes the worst products, but is the worst to get any satisfaction on the junk you build!

I spent 600+ dollars on one of your mid-line receivers and within the warranty period it experienced HDMI issues. I got it repaired at one of your regional service centers. Within a few months....SAME issue was back. I complained and complained, and got Onkyo to replace it with the tr nx809. About 14 months later, same issue! Now, I am told that there's no warranty on this BRAND NEW UNIT because its more than 2 yrs from the original purchase date. REALLY?? This is how you stand behind your products?? If I lived near your New Jersey Headquarters, I would drive it over and leave it sitting there on your corporate doorstep because the only thing your equipment is good for is a doorstop! Going back to Denon.

This is Onkyo USA and we would like to provide some accurate information in regards to your posting. We do have 4 regional service centers located in continental U.S. and also 3 regional service centers in Canada as well. You can review this information from our website for our regional and local service centers: please input your zip code/ postal code into the DEALER/ SERVICE CENTER webpage (http://www.onkyousa.com/locator.cfm?Source=hdrmenu) under the SERVICE CENTER LOCATOR field.

We usually recommend our regional service centers for servicing; as they have more personnel and accessibility to service our products. We also would like to provide our 24 hour Product Support contact number for accurate and concise information for our customers (800-229-1687). We will actively provide the best customer service and credible information for our customers on this customer forum.

channing22

Every compliant regarding receivers on this thread should be prefaced with an acknowledgement that their receiver could have overheated (from poor ventilation) causing the failure of the hdmi board or the power supply or other component. All receivers require adequate ventilation and that disclaimer is clearly stated on purchase documentation.

I highly doubt that Onkyo put out thousands of receivers with substandard parts. But it is very highly likely that hundreds of consumers put their receivers in a closed cabinet and let their equipment fry.

Now this person below has had the same issue with two different receivers and one of them being repaired once before, do you think it is possible that the problem is his own fault?

Your company not only makes the worst products, but is the worst to get any satisfaction on the junk you build!

I spent 600+ dollars on one of your mid-line receivers and within the warranty period it experienced HDMI issues. I got it repaired at one of your regional service centers. Within a few months....SAME issue was back. I complained and complained, and got Onkyo to replace it with the tr nx809. About 14 months later, same issue! Now, I am told that there's no warranty on this BRAND NEW UNIT because its more than 2 yrs from the original purchase date. REALLY?? This is how you stand behind your products?? If I lived near your New Jersey Headquarters, I would drive it over and leave it sitting there on your corporate doorstep because the only thing your equipment is good for is a doorstop! Going back to Denon.

kekerr

Never ever never ever never ever again....will I buy an Onkyo. They ship receivers with known issues. Have terrible support and they all run hot as an oven. They could double as a radiant heater in the winter. I dumped mine after 3 years of frustration and got a Yamaha 673. I love it. It just works all the time. I had a 705 Onkyo - one of the mid range receivers. It had heat issues, know issues with Dolby popping. Tech support was no luck and after looking in the forums I was not alone....run away fast from this...

bimmer88

The overall differences and purposes for the sale of the HT-RC and TX-SR/ TX-NR Onkyo receiver models are the following:

- The HT-RC models are the same build as the TX-SR/ TX-NR models. This provides a more unique identification from the widely available TX-SR/ TX-NR model lines.

- HT-RC models are only sold by specific authorized Onkyo dealers in NORTH AMERICA only. While the TX-SR/ TX- NR models are globally available for purchase with all authorized Onkyo dealers.

If you have any more questions or concerns, Please contact our Product Support Dept. for further assistance with this specific issue via our phone number and hours of operation (800-229-1687; option #3 PRODUCT SUPPORT 24 hours a day). We would like to speak with you and work to troubleshoot and resolve your issue as prompt as possible.

I want a refund on my HT-RC560! You gave false information. I'll be calling customer care telling them I bought this receiver based on false information that you gave on this forum.

I had an older TS-XR606 model that went bad on me so based on your information that the HT-RC and TX-NR lines are identical, I bought an HT-RC560 to replace it. When the model came in and I hooked it up I noticed that the volume was much lower than my older model. I would have to turn it up to about volume 70 in order for it to sound as loud as volume 50 on my older model. I also noticed that sound quality was much worst. The highs sounded TERRIBLE!!!!

Based on this, I figured the TX-NR can't be the same as the HT-RC. So I ordered a TX-NR626 to test out my theory. It just came in today and I am correct. I only have to turn it up to volume 50 for it to be really loud. The sound quality was much better. The highs sounded like my old receiver and 10x better than the HT-RC560. These two receivers are a WORLD of difference!!! I am now stuck with the HT-RC560 which I will not be using because newegg has a no return policy on this receiver.

ColSanders83

channing22 wrote:Every compliant regarding receivers on this thread should be prefaced with an acknowledgement that their receiver could have overheated (from poor ventilation) causing the failure of the hdmi board or the power supply or other component. All receivers require adequate ventilation and that disclaimer is clearly stated on purchase documentation.

I highly doubt that Onkyo put out thousands of receivers with substandard parts. But it is very highly likely that hundreds of consumers put their receivers in a closed cabinet and let their equipment fry.

Now this person below has had the same issue with two different receivers and one of them being repaired once before, do you think it is possible that the problem is his own fault?

Possibly, however, I had SR-706 in a cabinet with TWO fans giving excellent airflow, so my setup would actually be cooler then having it sit outside of a cabinet with no air flow and the HDMI board still failed after 2-3 years. If heat really is the killer, I would suggest getting an air-conditioned media cabinet.

connectindigo

Hi guys, I have just purchased Onkyo TX-NR 626 receiver from woot and got it shipped to India. When I received it yesterday, I found out that this is a north American model with 110Volts/60 Hertz AC input and in India We get 230volts/50 Hertz supply. I have spent nearly 200 dollars in shipping and custom duty and this thing will not work here! Since I am new to AV field I have no idea what to do. Can someone help me?

koz77

I have an older onkyo receiver that no longer produces sound. I've checked several threads but most seem to Be about Hdmi boards going bad but I don't think mine has that. What would be the first option to check? I've heard a few comments about a ram chip. Is that easy to check? Is it worth saving or do I love on? I'm married now so I don't get to make purchases like that very freely. I would like to get it repaired if it's not too costly. Any ideas or comments would be greatly appreciated

ThunderThighs

koz77 wrote:I have an older onkyo receiver that no longer produces sound. I've checked several threads but most seem to Be about Hdmi boards going bad but I don't think mine has that. What would be the first option to check? I've heard a few comments about a ram chip. Is that easy to check? Is it worth saving or do I love on? I'm married now so I don't get to make purchases like that very freely. I would like to get it repaired if it's not too costly. Any ideas or comments would be greatly appreciated

I believe Onkyo has recognized the problem in some of the older units. You should contact them.

siegee

I'm jumping on this old thread in case anyone is thinking of buying a refurb Onkyo TX-NR626. I bought mine from Woot about 18 months ago and - you guessed it - the HDMI board just went (confirmed after consulting with Onkyo tech support). Because it was a refurb, the warranty was for only one year so basically that left me SOL. Now I have been a happy owner of Onkyo equipement in the past and I really enjoyed this receiver while it lasted, but after this experience, I just can't bring myself to replace it with another Onkyo.

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